The Full Form of IAS is Indian Administrative Service.
Introduction
IAS is one of the premier administrative civil services of the Government of India. An officer is selected into the Indian Administrative Service by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) through Civil Services Examination (CSE) that is conducted every year. The IAS officers hold key strategic positions in the Union government and public sector undertaking.
An IAS officer while in service gets exposure in very diverse roles like the collector, commissioner, head of public sector units, chief secretary, cabinet secretary, etc.
It is not only the experience and challenges but also the scope of making positive changes in the life of millions of people in India that makes IAS a unique career choice.
This article highlights the full form of IAS, requirements to become an IAS officer, their roles, functions, salary, packages, etc.
IAS Full Form | Indian Administrative Service
The Indian Administrative Service, popularly known as IAS, was constituted in 1946. Earlier Indian Administrative Service was known as the Indian Imperial Service (1883-1946). The basic pattern of the cadre system in the Civil Service is based on the recommendations of the Aitchison Commission. As a civil servant the major responsibilities of an IAS officer are the law and order and revenue administration and general administration in the area under his jurisdiction.
The posts of IAS are filled by direct recruitments through competitive examination conducted by the UPSC as well as by promotion or appointments of State/Civil services/Non-State Civil Service officers.
Selection Process
- Every year lakhs of aspirants compete for a few hundred seats.
- An IAS aspirant is required to appear in the competitive examination held by the Union Public Service Commission (Full Form of UPSC) all over the country. The examination is also termed UPSC CSE. The selection process consisting of three stages – Preliminary, Mains, and Interview – takes about a year to complete.
Eligibility criteria
A candidate,
- Must have the age between 21-32 years and a graduation degree in any discipline from a recognized university.
- Must not have attempted for the exam for more than 6 times in case of general category and 9 times in case of OBC categories.
The Function of an IAS officer
Functions performed by an IAS officer broadly include:
- Maintaining law and order.
- Acting as an Executive Magistrate.
- Acting as a Chief Development Officer (CDO)/District Development Commissioner.
- Collecting revenue and function as Courts in revenue matters.
- Supervising and implementation of policies of State Government and Central Government.
- Supervising of expenditure of public funds as per norms of financial propriety.
- Managing day-to-day governmental affairs as well as framing and implementation of policy in consultation with the minister-in-charge of the concerned ministry.
Designations held by IAS officers during field posting
- SDO/SDM/Joint Collector/Chief Development Officer (CDO)
- District Magistrate/District Collector/Deputy Commissioner
- Divisional Commissioner
- Member Board of Revenue
- Chairman Board of Revenue
Designations held during a posting in Secretariat of State Government/Central Government
- Deputy Secretary of any department in Government of India
- Joint Secretary to Government of India
- Secretary in State Government
- Additional Secretary to Government of India
- Principal Secretary in State Government
- Secretary/ Chief Secretary to Government of India
- Cabinet Secretary
- Director in any department of Government of India
Salary of an IAS officer
The salary structure of an IAS consists of different Pay Scales based on their experience: Junior Scale, Senior Scales, Super Time Scale, Above Super Time Scales, etc. Each of the pay scales further consists of the following pay bands (as per the 7th pay commission):
- Junior Scale: Pay Band: Rs 50000-150000 + Grade Pay Rs 16500
- Senior Time Scale: Pay Band Rs 50000-150000 + Grade Pay Rs 20000
- Junior Administrative Grade: Pay Band: Rs 50000-150000 + Grade Pay Rs 23000
- Selection Grade: Pay Band: Rs 100000-Rs 200000 + Grade Pay Rs 26000
- Super Time Scale: Pay Band: Rs 100000-Rs 200000 + Grade Pay Rs 30000
- Above Super Time: Rs 100000-Rs 200000 + Grade Pay of Rs 30000.
- Apex Pay Scale: Rs 250000 (fixed). No Grade Pay.
- Cabinet Secretary Grade: Rs 250000 (fixed). No Grade Pay
Conclusion
So this was all about the brief history of IAS, eligibility criteria of becoming an IAS Officer, the selection procedure of an IAS Officer, roles and responsibilities of an IAS Officer, the various designations held by an IAS Officer, and the salary structure of different scales.
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